Eyeglass frame alignment holder

ABSTRACT

An eyeglass frame alignment holder adapted to retain a pair of eyeglasses in place thereon and to exert a slight but continuous force urging the outer margin of the eyeglass frame toward a rearward position and generally into coplanar alignment with the nosepiece. One described form of the invention is a holder in which retainer means in the form of a clip is provided for engaging the frame in the vicinity of the bridge to prevent rearward movement thereof, and in which two inclined leaf or wing portions are provided which are adapted to engage the spectacle frame adjacent its outer margins near the point where the earpieces or temples are hingedly joined to the lens frame. The holder may be a piece of polished or felt-covered spring steel which, after a period of time, gradually returns the eyeglass frame to its original configuration. The clip may be a separate piece or may be integrally formed from the material comprising the wings, and the holder may includes a mounting base, or may include only the wings and the clip so as to provide increased portability without loss of effect.

United States Patent a l 3,623,689

[ Inventor Donald Johnstoll Primary Examiner- Edward C. Allen 324 Calumt. H mm d- 46324 Attorney --Greist. Lockwood Greenawalt & Dewey [2 l]Appl. No. 841,400 [22] Filed July 14, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971ABSTRACT: An eyeglass frame alignment holder adapted to retain a pair ofeyeglasses in place thereon and to exert a slight but continuous forceurging the outer margin of the eyeglass EYEGLASS FRAME ALIGNMENT HOLDERframe toward a rearward position and generally into coplanar l0Clairns,D awing ig alignment with the nosepiece. One described form of the in-[52] 4 g H V 248/l87, vention is a holder in which retainer means in theform ofa 248/D|G 2 clip is provided for engaging the frame in thevicinity of the [5]] latch-M A H Fmm "/04 bridge to prevent rearwardmovement thereof. and in which [50] dd 0 Search w Mg/D162 two inclinedleaf or wing portions are provided which are 187 309 45 211/13 29/20,81/35. adapted to engage the spectacle frame adjacent its outer mar-5H|58 1. gins near the point where the earpieces or temples are hingedlyjoined to the lens frame. The holder may be a piece of [56] Refer-cumCited polished or felt-covered spring steel which. after a period ofUNITED STATES PATENTS time, gradually returns the eyeglass frame to itsoriginal con. l 065 060 6/19" Leyner' H 248/346 figuration. The clip maybe a separate piece or may be integrally formed from the materialcomprising the wings. and

102 8/1940 Steudel the holder may includes a mounting base or mayinclude only 2,411,361 ll/l946 Bongiovanni 248/346 248/DIG. 2

the wings and the clip so as to provide increased portability 2,684,0027/1954 Horvath 8l/3.5 without loss ofeffect PATENTEUmvaomn 35235 9DONALD L. JOHNSTON EYEGLASS FRAME ALIGNMENT HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to eyeglass orspectacle holders and more particularly, to a device which is adapted toreceive and hold a pair of eyeglasses or spectacles therein and, byreason of a slight force applied over a long period of time, induce coldflow of the thermoplastic eyeglass frames and return them to theiroriginal alignment, normally an alignment in which the outer margins ofthe frame adjacent the attachment point of the earpieces are in acoplanar relation with respect to the frame bridge.

Because of the wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors and texturesavailable, and because of light weight, resistance to breakage, etc.,thermoplastic eyeglass frames have attained extremely widespreadpopularity. Although metal frames for eyeglasses are still common,millions of plastic frames are sold every year and many millions thereofare in daily use.

Although plastic eyeglass frames have the advantage referred to above,and other advantages, these frame units have one drawback which isextremely common and, in certain aggravated cases, annoying,inconvenient, and actually harmful to the eyes of the wearer. Thischaracteristic is that thermoplastic eyeglass frames which aresufiiciently flexible to be easy to manufacture, easy to align on thewearer and resilient enough to be free from brittleness, undergo acertain amount of deformation, sometimes referred to as cold flow,during the period such eyeglasses are worn.

For example, in order for eyeglasses to be retained in place over theface of the wearer, the earpieces or temple portions of the eyeglassesexert a certain inwardly directed pressure on the temples of the wearer,and this force is generated, and also counterbalanced, by the resistanceof the front portion of the frame, that is, the lens-receiving portionsand the bridge portion joining them together, to forward deformation. Inother words, when earpieces or temple portions are in their most widelyspaced-apart position, the front edge portions thereof engage therearwardly facing margin portions of the frame just outside theoutermost edges of the lenses. Any force tending to spread the earpiecesfarther apart tends to move these rear edge portions forward, therebybending the frame at the point which offers the least stifiness inbending. Since the glass lenses are very stiff relative to the frame,the bending forces are concentrated in the vicinity of the bridge ornosepiece of the frame.

On the other hand, if there is very little or no force urging the templepieces outwardly, the temple pieces are loosely received on the head,since they have not reached their full outward extent, and the glassesfit loosely, a condition which is not desired by the wearer. In anyevent, if the portions of the frames supporting the lens are bentforwardly in respect to the bridge portion, the axis lines through theoptical centers of the lenses move to a position where they areconvergent a short distance in front of the eyeglasses rather than beingroughly parallel to each other. As a result, the wearer is not lookingthrough the centers of the lenses, or, if looking through the centers ofthe lenses, is looking therethrough at an angle to the intended sightangle which is coincident with the optical axis of the lens.

In the past, two methods for overcoming these drawbacks of improperlyfitting plastic lens frames have been proposed and used. The first isinconvenient and ofien expensive, namely an occasional or even frequentreturn to the optician who fit the eyeglasses so that they may bereturned to their proper alignment, usually by heating and bending. Ifthe wearer attempts this realignment himself, he commonly does not knowthat the frame should be heated, and, as a result, risks breaking theframe, whereas, if he does succeed in bending the frame, he is oftenunable to determine exactly what the properly aligned position of theframe should be.

A second expedient which is quite common is to place a wedge unit ofsome kind, commonly small rubber bands or the like, in the intendedabutment region defined between the forwardly and rearwardly facingsurfaces respectively of the earpieces and outer lens frame margins.While this procedure offers temporary relief insofar as it temporarilymoves the temple pieces closer together for a tighter fit about thehead, it actually aggravates the misalignment situation, because itintroduces additional stress which can only be relieved by furtherforward bending of the frame element.

As long as the eyeglass continues to be worn, there is no presentlyknown method of avoiding the gradual effect of frame distortion, sincethe heat of the wearer's body and the continued forward force on therear of the frame ends inevitably bring about the cold flow referred to.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a simple andeffective method of realigning eyeglass frames, and an apparatus adaptedto perform such a method.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive apparatus which will realign eyeglass frames withoutrequiring intentional manipulation of the frames by the user.

Another object is to provide an eyeglass frame alignment holder whichmay be preset to maintain proper eyeglass frame alignment, and whichwill thereafter maintain proper alignment in the frame of a pair ofeyeglasses placed therein at regular intervals.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus which operates withoutefi'orts on the part of the user, and which is commonly used at a timewhen the eyeglasses themselves are not intended to be used.

Another object is to provide such a device which may be adapted forextended use in one relatively fixed location, or to provide a holderwhich is readily portable, as well as a holder being textured orsurfaced so as to avoid, in use, damage to eyeglass lenses and frames.

A still further object is to provide such a holder which is simple,inexpensive, reliable, and esthetically pleasing.

The present invention achieves these and other objects inherent thereinby providing an eyeglass frame alignment holder having means forreceiving and holding the frame in the vicinity of the bridge portionthereof, and means for engaging the outer margin portions of the frameand applying a slight, preset, rearwardly directed force thereto forbringing about a return to proper alignment of the eyeglass frame.

The exact manner in which this invention achieves these and otherobjects will be more clearly apparent when reference is made to theaccompanying detailed description, to the appended claims, and to thedrawings, in which like reference numerals indicate corresponding partsthroughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing apair of eyeglasses received within the frame alignment holder of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a holder according tothe invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the holder of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the fonn of holder shown in FIGS.2 and 3, and taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the holder shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of taken along lines 6-6 thereof;and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of still another embodiment of theinvention.

the holder of FIG. 5,

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The inventionwill now be described in reference to several preferred embodimentsthereof, it being understood that herein, and in the claims, directionor orientation indicating words such as rearward, forward, etc., unlessclearly otherwise stated, are intended to be applied in relation to theposition the spectacles assume in the use thereof while being worn by aperson whose head is straight and level and whose eyes are directed tothe front, since, as the description proceeds, it will be apparent thatthe device itself may be used in any orientation with advantageouseffect, and normally rests with the eyeglasses held therein a positionother than the position in which they are normally worn.

in ordinary use, the invention includes a frame alignment holder 8adapted to receive the frame portion 10 of a pair of spectacles oreyeglasses 12 within the holder 8, which is adapted to exert slight butsteady rearward force on the outer edge or marginal portions l4, 16 ofthe frame 10 of a pair of eyeglasses or spectacles 12, while retainingor holding the bridge portion 18 against rearward movement.

The frame 10 of the eyeglasses 12, in addition to the portions justdescribed, include a pair of oppositely disposed, lens-receivingportions 20, 22, serving to hold left and right hand lenses 24, 26 inposition, and a reentrant portion 28 adapted to fit over the nose, abovewhich the bridge portion 18 extends. Further, a pair of leftandright-hand earpieces or temple portions 30, 32 are provided, each havinga forward end 34, 36, the front face of which abuts a rear face of theframe portion 10 in the vicinity of the outer margins l4, !l6. Hinges38, 40 provide for movement of the temple portions 30, 32 between openand closed positions thereof. it will be obvious that, in the openposition of the temple portions 30, 32, lateral outward force applied tothe insides of the temple portions 30, 32 will be exerted as a forwardlydirected force immediately in front of the forward ends 34, 36 of thetemples 30, 32, and force applied at the ends 34, 36 will create aforwardly directed bending movement about the bridge 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and in greater detail, the holder 8 will beseen to include base assembly 42, comprising a bottom flange 44 and aprinciple body portion 46.

Means for engaging the frame in the vicinity of the bridge 18 areprovided in the form of a clip 48, which, in this embodiment, includes alower flange 50 through which fastening means in the form of a screw 52extend, to secure the clip 48 to the base 42. Disposed intennediate theflange 50 and the body portion 46 of the base 42 is a stiff butresilient holder body 54 having stiff but resilient, left and right handspring leaf portions 56, 58 forming a part thereof and extendinglaterally outwardly therefrom.

In the preferred construction, the entire body 54 including the leaves56, 58 is a single, integral resilient element in the form of a platedor highly polished spring steel unit, and the clip 48 is preferablyformed of the same or similar material.

in reference to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the leaves 56, 58 extendupwardly from a horizontal plane at a predetermined angle, that is, theyare inclined outwardly and to the rear of the flange 50 in respect tothe normal orientation of the eyeglasses on the wearer. The exact angleof inclination of the leaves 56, 58 is determined by the initial ororiginal alignment of the spectacle frames. That is, the wings 56, 58are adapted to engage the margins l4, 16 of the frame 10 so that whenthe frame 10 is in a predetermined alignment, little if any rearwardforce is applied thereto, but force will be applied thereto if themargins l4, l6 lie forwardly of the bridge 18 or other reference pointof intended alignment. Normally, the alignment of the front surfaces ofthe margins l4, l6 and the front surfaces of the bridge 18 is coplanar,but this is not a necessity, particularly bearing in mind that thespectacle frames 10 may include one or more offset or protuberant parts,for example. The inclination of the leaves 56, 58 also serves to ensurethat contact is between the leaves 56, 58 and the outer edges l4, 16 ofthe frames rather than with laterally more inwardly disposed parts ofthe glasses 12, such as the lenses 24, 26 or the like. At any rate,however, the thermoplastic frame 10 is deformable under the applicationof slight pressure, whereas the spring steel, although capable ofdeflection when the leaves or wings $6, 58 are engaged by the margins14, 16 of a deformed or misaligned spectacle frame, continue to exert arealigning force on the frame 10 which is proportional to the forwarddisplacement of the wings 56, 58. ln use, the base 42 is normallyconstructed of a heavy material so as to support the spectacles 12 inthe relation shown in FIG. 1 and to prevent the holder 8 and eyeglass 12from being accidentally knocked over or upset.

Refen'ing now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, an embodiment of the invention isshown which differs in two respects from the embodiments shown in FIGS.1, 5 and 6. Thus, in reference to FlG. 2, it can be seen that wings 56a,58a are provided for the holder 8a, and that a clip 48a is included nearthe center portion of the body 54a, in this construction, a notch 60 isformed in the front edge 62 of the body 54a, since a portion of the body54a is folded upon itself to form the clip 480, as best appears in FIG.4, for example. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this embodiment is extremelysimple in construction and is particularly adapted to receive andrealign a pair of spectacles during travel, for example. In thisembodiment, the holder 8a and a pair of eyeglasses held therein do notoccupy substantially any more space than the eyeglasses alone in thefolded position thereof. in this manner, the entire unit 8a may bestored within a convenient cover or the like for travel or otherpurposes. The principle of operation is the same as that of the otherembodiment of the invention, however.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a still further embodiment of the invention isshown, which differs in structural detail from the other embodiments,but operates in the same manner. Thus, it can be seen that a clip 48b isprovided, and that the body 54b has a relatively flat center portion 60which is set apart from the outer leaves 56b, 58b by a pair ofoppositely disposed, slightly downwardly extending ribs 62, 64. In thisembodiment, the bottom surface portions 66, 68, of the ribs 62, 64 whichextend laterally of the element 54b, form a pair of support means orfeet upon which the holder 8b rests, so that it is not likely to rockback and forth while in a position of rest atop a flat surface, such asa table or dresser top or the like.

FIG. 7 also shows, diagrammatically, a spray nozzle from which syntheticfeltlike fibers 72 are being deposited onto the holder 8b. In thisembodiment, after the holder 8b is formed from spring steel, as shown,it is coated first with an adhesive and then with a velour or velvetlikefinish, applied thereto by spraying the adhesive finish with syntheticresinous fibers in a well-known manner. The article resulting from thisprocess, instead of a highly polished or plated surface, has a soft,velvetlike exterior surface for prevention of scratches which mightotherwise occur on the lens or eyeglass frames.

in the use of the invention, all of the embodiments thereof havedemonstrated that, provided the holder is used with reasonablefrequency, the proper fit of eyeglasses on the head of the wearer may bemaintained virtually indefinitely. By using the present device, the useof other disadvantageous, merely expedient methods of attempting tocorrect this problem may be avoided. Any version having the velvetlikeor matte finish is particularly adapted for travel use, since no sharpedges are present for possible damage to clothing or to a cover or thelike to which the holder might be carried.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 has the clip48a integrally formed with the body 540, whereas the embodiments ofFIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 7 show the clip 48a, 48b associated with the body 54a,54b formed as a separate piece. However, it is clear that the exactconfiguration or formation of the clips 48a, 48b, or the manner ofassociation thereof with the bodies 54a, 54b does not form aparticularly novel feature of the invention, but the constructions shownillustrate embodiments having various advantages. Likewise, theconfiguration or disposition of the base 42 is not a critical feature ofthe invention but is preferred in some embodiments thereof.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a new anduseful holder for aligning eyeglass frames having a number of advantagesand characteristics, including those pointed out herein and others whichare inherent in the invention.

I claim:

1. A frame alignment holder for thermoplastic eyeglass frames having aframe including two laterally outer margin portions, a generallycentrally disposed bridge portion, and a pair of temple pieces joined tosaid frame in the vicinity of said margin portions, said holdercomprising, in combination, means for receiving the frame portion of apair of eyeglasses in the vicinity of said bridge thereof to preventrelative rearward movement of said frame, means for engaging the forwardsurface of said frame in the vicinity of said outer margin portionsthereof adjacent the junction of said temple pieces and said outermargin portions and generally laterally outwardly of said bridge, andfor there exerting a predetermined, rearwardly directed force theretofor urging said laterally outer margin portions to the rear in relationto said bridge portion when said margin portions lie forwardly of apredetennined plane lying generally parallel to said bridge portion.

2. A holder unit as defined in claim 1 in which said means forpreventing relative rearward movement of said frame comprises a clipadapted to be received over said bridge of said frame.

3. A holder unit as defined in claim 1 in which said means for engagingsaid margin portions comprises a pair of laterally outwardly extending,inherently resilient spring leaves, joined to each other at the innerportions thereof.

4. A holder unit as defined in claim I in which said holder comprises abody portion including two laterally outwardly extending leaf portionsand a generally centrally disposed clip portion, said leaf portionsbeing adapted to engage said mazgin portions of said frame and to exertsaid rearwardly directed force.

5. A holder as defined in claim 1 in which exterior surface thereof iscovered with a soft material adapted to prevent damage to eyeglassesreceived in said holder upon contact between said material and saideyeglasses.

6. A holder as defined in claim 1 in which said means for engaging saidmargin portions comprises a pair of laterally outwardly and rearwardlyextending leaves having portions thereof adapted to engage said marginportions.

7. A holder as defined in claim 2 in which said clip is integrallyfonned from the material comprising said means for engaging said marginportions of said frame.

8. A holder unit as defined in claim 1 in which means are provided forlocating said holder in a desired position of use atop a horizontalsurface.

9. A holder unit as defined in claim 8 in which said locating meanscomprise a relatively massive base unit.

10. A holder unit as defined in claim 8 in which said locating meanscomprises a pair of oppositely disposed ribs extending forwardly of saidmeans for engaging said margin portions of said frame.

I! i 18 i

1. A frame alignment holder for thermoplastic eyeglass frames having aframe including two laterally outer margin portions, a generallycentrally disposed bridge portion, and a pair of temple pieces joined tosaid frame in the vicinity of said margin portions, said holdercomprising, in combination, means for receiving the frame portion of apair of eyeglasses in the vicinity of said bridge thereof to preventrelative rearward movement of said frame, means for engaging the forwardsurface of said frame in the vicinity of said outer margin portionsthereof adjacent the junction of said temple pieces and said outermargin portions and generally laterally outwardly of said bridge, andfor there exerting a predetermined, rearwardly directed force theretofor urging said laterally outer margin portions to the rear in relationto said bridge portion when said margin portions lie forwardly of apredetermined plane lying generally parallel to said bridge portion. 2.A holder unit as defined in claim 1 in which said means for preventingrelative rearward movement of said frame comprises a clip adapted to bereceived over said bridge of said frame.
 3. A holder unit as defined inclaim 1 in which said means for engaging said margin portions comprisesa pair of laterally outwardly extending, inherently resilient springleaves, joined to each other at the inner portions thereof.
 4. A holderunit as defined in claim 1 in which said holder comprises a body portionincluding two laterally outwardly extending leaf portions and agenerally centrally disposed clip portion, said leaf portions beingadapted to engagE said margin portions of said frame and to exert saidrearwardly directed force.
 5. A holder as defined in claim 1 in whichthe exterior surface thereof is covered with a soft material adapted toprevent damage to eyeglasses received in said holder upon contactbetween said material and said eyeglasses.
 6. A holder as defined inclaim 1 in which said means for engaging said margin portions comprisesa pair of laterally outwardly and rearwardly extending leaves havingportions thereof adapted to engage said margin portions.
 7. A holder asdefined in claim 2 in which said clip is integrally formed from thematerial comprising said means for engaging said margin portions of saidframe.
 8. A holder unit as defined in claim 1 in which means areprovided for locating said holder in a desired position of use atop ahorizontal surface.
 9. A holder unit as defined in claim 8 in which saidlocating means comprise a relatively massive base unit.
 10. A holderunit as defined in claim 8 in which said locating means comprises a pairof oppositely disposed ribs extending forwardly of said means forengaging said margin portions of said frame.